Improvement in ironing-machines



E. L. WILSON. Ironing-Machine.

No. 204,777. Patented Jun 11, 1878 fm/entm" EZZZZ Z. fi z'lsdn N PETERS,PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, wA smNGTON. D. O.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS L. WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD HIS RIGHTTO WILLIAM H. KELLOGG, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN Specification forming part of Letters Patent NoRONING-MACHI'NES.

. 204,777, dated June 11,1878; application filed August 9,1877.

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, ELIAS L. WILSON, of Chicago. county of Cook, andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inIroning-llIachines, which is fully described in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an ironing'machineembodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan view of same, the upper portionof frame and the iron being removed; Fig. 3, a similar view, showing thesmall board turned back and the skirt-board in position for work; Fig.4, a side view of skirt-board; Fig. 5, a detailed view of the hinged armattached to the ironing-board; Fig. 6, a plan view of the pinion on theshaft which carries the iron; Fig. 7, a sectional view of the iron; Fig.8, an inverted plan view of the same.

My invention relates to a machine for ironing clothes, in which a rotaryiron is used, driven by any suitable means, adjustable ironin g-boardsbeing arranged underneath the iron, suitable for supporting differentarticles of clothing and bringing them under the action of the rotatingiron.

It consists, first, in a pinion turning in a fixed hearing at the top ofthe frame, and a shaft which slides through said pinion and is rotatedby it, whereby the iron is rotated and raised or lowered; second, in asliding shaft driven by a pinion, which revolves in a stationary bearingat the top of the frame, and a foot-lever connected with said shaft toraise or lower the same; third, it also consists in an ironingboardattached to the supportingframe by a double hinged connection, wherebythe board may be adjusted to any position required; fourth, it alsoconsists in an independent skirt-board supported upon independentswinging arms.

It further consists in the special construction of various devices andin various combinations, all of which will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

In the drawings, A represents aplatform or support of any suitabledescription, upon which is mounted an upright curved arm, B. At theextreme upper end of this arm is a vertical enlargement, b, affording asupport and bearing for a shaft, 0, which is constructed to slidevertically in said bearing, and is provided with a bevel-pinion, c,fastened to it by a splinegroove, so as to permit the shaft to'slidethrough in it, and meshing with a similar pinion, c, mounted on a shortshaft supported by the arm B, and driven by any suitable mechanism,either hand or power.

At the lower end of the shaft 0 is the iron D, attached thereto, so asto revolve with it, and constructed in the usual style of rotary irons,except that its face has a series of shallow indentations ordepressions, .01, extending over its entire surface, as shown in Fig. 8of the drawings.

A lever, E, is pivoted to a pendent portion, b, of the upper part of themain supportingarm B. The forward end of this lever is forked andpivoted to a collar, 0, on the shaft 0, and held in place by suitablerings or flanges on the shaft. The rear end of the lever is hinged to aconnecting-rod, F, the lower end of which is, in turn, hinged to one armof a foot-lever, G, pivoted to a suitable support at the lower end ofthe main arm B, and provided with a suitable spring, g, arranged to actupon the outer end of the lever, so as to throw this end up whenreleased from pressure in the opposite direction.

A short arm, H, is pivoted to a lug, h, on the central portion ofsupporting-piece B, arranged at about the distance above the support Aat which it is desired to hold the ironing-board I, which is fixed uponone end of the arm '5, the other end of which is hinged to the curvedend of the arm H.

The length of the arms H and i is such as to bring the ironing-board Iunderneath the rotary iron D; and it is evident that, by means of thedouble hinge support, which is furnished for the table, great range andfreedom of motion are given to the latter, so that any part of the iron.The ironing-board 1 is of medium size and design, for use in ironingsmall-sized articles and the bosoms of shirts.

Whenever it is desired to iron large-sized articles a skirt-board, J, isemployed, which is much longer than the board I, and is provided withpins j, projecting fioin its lower side, by

it can be readily brought directly underneath means of which it issecured to arms K, the outer ends of which have slots k, in which thepins are inserted. The other ends of the arms K are pivoted to posts Lat the rear of platform A, a connection being made, so that the arms Kmay be elevated off from the pivotpins 1 whenever desired. These arms Kare made to swing backward and forward, and, the connection between themand the skirt-board being loose, a sufficient range of adjustment isgiven the latter for all practical purposes. The height of the posts Lis such that the arms K may be swung back underneath the table I, whichis turned back into the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Theskirtboard is lifted from its supporting-arms, and the latter turnedback into the position shown on Fig. 2 of the drawings, when the board Iis to be used.

When either board is used it is evident that by operating the foot-leverG the iron D will be brought down upon the article lying on theironingboard, and, being reheated rapidly at the same time, it willsmooth and polish the article between it and the board, for theaccomplishment of which result I have found the indentations in the faceof the iron of great service.

Although this machine is designed especially for ironing purposes, itmay also be used for pressing, whenever required-for instance, inpressing the seams in the manufacture of various articles of clothing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A pinion, a, turning in a fixedbearing on the frame B, combined with the shaft 0, which slides in itsbearing and through said pinion, and a polishing-iron, D,attached to thelower end of said shaft, all substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The rigid curved supporting-frame B, provided with a bearing for thepinion c and the sliding shaft 0, which slides through said pinion andcarries a polishing-iron, D, upon its lower end, in combination with afoot-lever,

G, forcing-spring g, and a device for connectin g the foot-lever withthe sliding. shaft and a movable ironing-table, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. The ironing-board I, attached to the standard B by a double hingedsupport, in combination with the vertically-adjustable polishing-iron D,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The standard B, in combination with the arm H, hinged thereto, andthe ironing-table I, mounted upon an arm hinged to the piece H,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An ironing-board, I, in combination with a swinging support, uponwhich it is mounted, and which is constructed to permit the table to beswung back to the rear of the machine to give place for the attachmentof a skirtboard, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The frame and operative mechanism of an ironing-machine and theskirt-board J, in combination with swinging supports K, to which it isdetach ably connected, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The swinging arms K, provided with slots k at their outer ends, incombination with the skirt-board J, having pins j projecting from itsunder side, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The frame and operative mechanism of an ironing-machine, providedwith two arms,

ELIAS L. WILSON.

Witnesses JNo. G. MACGREGOR, W. G. Oonmns.

